Communication system

Abstract

There is provided a communication device (4) for providing access to a service via an access point (11) in a cellular communication system (1). The communication device (4) includes an application (15) for accessing the service via said point (11). The communication device (4) receives from the application (15) a service identifier for the service and obtains an identifier of an access point (11) via which said service can be accessed by mapping the service identifier to the identifier of an access point (11).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A communication device for providing access to a service via an access point in a cellular communication system, the communication device comprising:
 an application for accessing said service via said access point; 
 a transceiver configured to:
 receive, from the application, a service identifier for said service; and 
 obtain an identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application based on information in which said service identifier and said identifier of the access point are mapped; and 
 
 a processor configured to:
 bind, to an identifier of said application, said identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application obtained by said transceiver; and 
 direct communication traffic from said application to the access point identified by said identifier of the access point bound to said identifier of said application, wherein: 
 
 the transceiver is further configured to obtain information identifying a restriction associated with use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier, and 
 the information identifying a restriction comprises a key that is provided by the application for the use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier. 
 
     
     
       2. The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to obtain a plurality of identifiers of respective access points, each identifier of an access point having associated therewith a respective service identifier for identifying a service that is accessible via the access point identified by that identifier. 
     
     
       3. The communication device according to  claim 2 , wherein said transceiver is operable to obtain the each identifier of an access point, and the respective service identifier associated with that identifier of an access point, from a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. 
     
     
       4. The communication device according to  claim 3 , wherein said SIM card is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). 
     
     
       5. The communication device according to  claim 3 , wherein said communication device comprises said SIM card. 
     
     
       6. The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication device comprises a machine type communication (MTC) or machine-to-machine (M2M) device, said application comprises an MTC or M2M application, and said service comprises an MTC or M2M service. 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 a communication device for providing access to a service via an access point in a cellular communication system, wherein the communication device comprises:
 an application for accessing said service via said access point, 
 a transceiver configured to:
 receive, from the application, a service identifier for said service; and 
 obtain an identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application based on information in which said service identifier and said identifier of the access point are mapped, and 
 
 a processor configured to:
 bind, to an identifier of said application, said identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application obtained by said transceiver; and 
 direct communication traffic from said application to the access point identified by said identifier of the access point bound to said identifier of said application, wherein: 
 
 the transceiver is further configured to obtain information identifying a restriction associated with use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier, and 
 the information identifying a restriction comprises a key that is provided by the application for the use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier; 
 
 a subscriber identity module (SIM) card for use in providing access to the service via the access point in the cellular communication system, wherein the subscriber identity module comprises:
 a memory arranged to store information comprising a plurality of identifiers of respective access points, each of the plurality of identifiers of respective access points being stored in association with a respective service identifier for identifying the service that is accessible via an access point identified by the each identifier; and 
 a transceiver configured to receive a request to read said information from the communication device; and provide said information responsive to said request; and 
 
 a network node for providing updated information for providing access to the service via the access point in the cellular communication system, wherein the network node comprises:
 a processor configured to maintain information comprising a plurality of identifiers of respective access points, each of the plurality of identifiers of respective access points being stored in association with a respective service identifier for identifying the service that is accessible via an access point identified by the each identifier; and 
 a transceiver configured to provide said information maintained by said processor to the communication device, as part of an update procedure, in order to update the SIM card in said communication device with said information. 
 
 
     
     
       8. A method performed by a communication device for providing access to a service via an access point in a cellular communication system, the communication device comprising an application for accessing said service via said access point and comprising a transceiver configured to receive, from the application, a service identifier for said service, the method comprising:
 obtaining an identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application based on information in which said service identifier and said identifier of the access point are mapped; 
 binding, to an identifier of said application, said identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application obtained by said obtaining;
 directing communication traffic from said application to the access point identified by said identifier of the access point bound to said identifier of said application by said binding; and 
 
 obtaining information identifying a restriction associated with use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier, 
 wherein the information identifying a restriction comprises a key that is provided by the application for the use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier. 
 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer readable media that stores a computer program including computer implementable instructions that, when executed by a programmable communications device, causes the programmable communications device to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the application, a service identifier for said service; 
 obtaining an identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application based on information in which said service identifier and said identifier of the access point are mapped; 
 binding, to an identifier of said application, said identifier of the access point via which said service can be accessed by said application obtained by said transceiver; 
 directing communication traffic from said application to the access point identified by said identifier of the access point bound to said identifier of said application; and 
 obtaining information identifying a restriction associated with use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier, 
 wherein the information identifying a restriction comprises a key that is provided by the application for the use of the access point represented by the obtained identifier.